Bru body appeals to Supreme Court against YMA and MZP

Aizawl: Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF), an apex body of displaced Bru people staying in seven refugee camps in north Tripura district, has recently appealed to the Supreme Court and alleged that two civil bodies of Mizoram – the Young Mizo Association (YMA) and the Mizo Zirlai Pawl (MZP) of “ill-behaviour” towards the Bru refugees.

A statement issued by the YMA said that it took strong exception to the allegations levelled by the Bru body and was unhappy that they have been projected as a “militant group” torturing the refugees.

The MBDPF, in its petition against the Government of Mizoram, Tripura and Election Commission of India over Bru repatriation, accused the YMA and the MZP with “intimidating and maltreating” the refugees, the statement said.

YMA and MZP told to appear before Supreme Court

Meanwhile, the YMA and the MZP which were told to clarify on the allegation levelled by the MBDPF latest by May 8 failed to do so as they received the apex court’s order “late”. Accordingly, the Supreme Court gave eight weeks additional time to the civil bodies to make clarification.

Leaders of YMA said that they have contacted an advocate to represent the two civil bodies and planned to make clarification within a given time.

“We decided to make clarifications on the allegation and apprise the apex court the truth. The executive meeting of CYMA on May 16 has agreed to pursue the matter with immediate effect,” a statement issued by YMA said, adding that it will also look into Aadhar enrolment of Bru families conducted by Tripura government if required.

The Brus are lodged in seven relief camps in North Tripura district since the later part of 1997 following exodus from Mizoram due to communal clashes. Several attempts to repatriate them failed due to several reasons.

The repatriation process which was scheduled to begin from February last year was put on hold as the Supreme Court directed the Mizoram and Tripura governments and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) not to go ahead with it following the appeal and demands raised by MBDPF.

At the time of identification of Bru refugees conducted during November 2 – 23 last year, Mizoram officials identified 32,857 Bru people belonging to 5,413 families for physical repatriation.

Co-Editor, Zoramobserver.com. Mr. Khojol is a journalist based in Aizawl, Mizoram. He writes for various national and regional media houses. In his free time, he can be caught reading books and watching movies.